Hong Kong trade office can continue 'legitimate activity', UK official tells critical MPs The recent conviction of two men linked to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London on charges of spying on activists raises more questions than answers about the UK government's handling of its relations with China.
The verdict is a stark reminder that, despite promises to uphold national security, British officials are struggling to reconcile their obligations to the Chinese state with their duty to protect citizens from foreign interference.
Seema Malhotra, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, insisted that the HKETO's "legitimate activity" would continue uninterrupted.